


Snakeskin

by Gaffsie



Series: Human Nature [2]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, M/M, Sexism, alpha sweet pea, omega jughead, paternalism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2020-01-23 12:42:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18549982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gaffsie/pseuds/Gaffsie
Summary: Jughead is trying to come to terms with his new status.





	Snakeskin

”Oh, Torombolo, it's not so bad,” Veronica tells him, and she probably thinks she's _consoling_ him, patting his arm with her well-manicured hand and looking at him with her dark, prettily made-up eyes, but the only omega she knows is her mom, who wields a lot of power by smiling coquettishly at Hiram Lodge, and who can make or break a business deal just by delicately pursing her mouth at him. 

Those are tools that will be at Veronica's disposal too one day, once she comes into her alignment. That's what she's been raised to do; to be the pretty omega standing side by side with her powerful Alpha, tempering his rashness with her sweet omega wiles. 

Jughead's new status only means power being stripped from him; his dad looking awkward and regretful and telling him the Serpents don't really have a problem with omegas, but it wouldn't do for an omega to be King, to rule over his Alpha (and Jughead is glad Jellybean is safe and sound in Toledo, because he knows who's next in line for the throne, and Jughead does not want that for his sister. She is so much stronger than he is; deserves so much more than to rule over a down-trodden biker gang).

The Serpents don't mind him being a member, but he's no longer allowed to partake in any real Serpent business. He still has the jacket, and the tattoo, and he's got their protection, and he hates it, hates being reduced to just a mascot; to someone to take care of, with nothing to offer in return. 

And it's funny, he thinks, that being the Serpent King was a responsibility that always weighed heavily on him, but now, he misses it. It was the first time he truly felt like he belonged.

He knows he can't escape their protection, not when his Alpha is a senior member and his dad is the King, but he can at least destroy the jacket and its mocking reminder of what his life used to be. 

The tattoo has to go too, but that's trickier. He's under-age, so he needs his father's permission to get it removed at a clinic, but he'll cut the fucking thing off himself if he has to – make his left arm match the right one. There's a twinge in his chest when he thinks of Sweet Pea's reaction, knows how badly Alphas deal with their omegas being hurt, and though he resents it, his soul screams out at knowingly causing Sweet Pea that kind of pain.

He hasn't worn the jacket once since he was stripped of his duties. He'd practically thrown the thing at his dad before stomping out, slamming the door so hard behind him that it had almost fallen off its hinges, but it had turned up in his closet the next day, and he doesn't know if his dad or Sweet Pea is to blame. 

Jughead's tried very hard to ignore it, purposely digging out his old Sherpa jackets instead, pretending not to see the concerned glances Sweet Pea keeps sending his way whenever he opens the closet and pretends it isn't hanging right in front of his face, the sight of the black leather making his stomach churn with anxiety and regret.

Now he grits his teeth and pulls it off the hanger, swings by the kitchen to grab some lighter fluid and a packet of matches and then he goes out to the back, and rights the old grill, which is lying rusted and upended in the gravel.

He throws the jacket on the grill, douses it with the lighter fluid, and there is some satisfaction in watching the heavy leather absorb the fluid, but it's nothing like lighting a match and letting it fall, red flames spreading out, licking at the snake-emblem.

“Feel better now?”

Jughead whirls around, sees Sweet Pea standing just a few feet behind him. He's wearing his Serpent jacket, arms crossed over his chest. 

Jughead turns back to the fire, watches the flames consume the leather. 

“A little,” he says, and then, “no,” because as good as it feels destroying his jacket, it doesn't really change anything.

He hears Sweet Pea crossing the distance between them, his boot clad feet crunching the gravel, and then he's enveloped in a hug, Sweet Pea draped along his back, his chin resting on Jughead's shoulder, his strong arms holding him tight and secure, and Jughead resents the hell out of how safe he feels having Sweet Pea's broad body wrapped around him, his comforting scent filling his nostrils. He can feel himself melting into the embrace, and he hates that too.

Sweet Pea doesn't do anything, just holds him tight and watches Jughead's jacket burn to a cinder.

Once the fire goes out completely, just a few scattered pieces of charred leather remaining, he kisses Jughead's cheek. 

“Doesn't really change anything,” he says, his breath a warm puff against Jughead's ear.

Jughead closes his eyes and sighs. 

“Don't really see why anything has to change.” 

That has Jughead pushing away from Sweet Pea's embrace, turning on him with a furious rebuttal on his tongue.

“I'm being reduced to a _Pink Lady_ , and you don't think anything has to change?”

Sweet Pea tilts his head, and Jughead realizes he doesn't get the reference. “I used to be the leader, and all of a sudden I'm just a member in name only,” he explains. “The useless little omega who needs to be protected and coddled, and can't be trusted to make any decisions.” 

Sweet Pea frowns at him. “Life's not fair. That's hardly news.” And Jughead wants to punch him, and he wants to go back to being comforted by him, and he wonders if this is what his life will be from now on, being torn between competing instincts.

“Easy for you to say,” he just says, bitter and petty and trying very hard not to notice how that makes Sweet Pea's frown deepen.

**Author's Note:**

> Sweet Pea: "Jughead, it's okay being a human omega."  
> Jughead: "No it's not! It's the worst! Because of society!"


End file.
